Recently the sun has felt closer to southern residents. The summer temperatures have skyrocketed to over a 100 degrees and the thick air is an unwelcome presence.

Simply put, no one wants to be outside…much less run outside.

But, four times a week, in the early morning, a group of 20 high schoolers weave their way through trails, the track and neighborhoods in Kingfisher.

Kingfisher High School head cross country coach Kerri Lafferty spoke to the Lions Club at last Thursday’s meeting and said she was proud of her athletes’ dedication to the sport, especially in the heat.

This dedication, coupled with “mental toughness,” is what the Kingfisher team needs to reach Lafferty’s lofty goals, she said.

“We usually make it to state,” she told the Lions, “but I’m hoping this year we place in the top five.”

Lafferty was speaking of the girls team as the boys group doesn’t yet have enough competitors to field a full team.

In 2018, Lafferty coached the Lady Jackets to the Class 4A state championship, a first for the Kingfisher cross country program.

Since then, the Kingfisher girls have placed eighth (2019), third (2020), seventh (2021) and ninth (2022).

The coach knows from experience what makes a good team and she’s excited about this year’s potential, she said.

Lafferty won’t have to wait long to see how her team’s hard work will stand in competition.

The first meet is Aug. 19 at Weatherford, followed the next week by Watonga, a course Lafferty describes as “difficult.”

“I think Watonga is our toughest course,” Lafferty said.

It’s a vineyard field with loose sand and steep hills with the race usually taking place during the height of heat for the season, she explained.

Conditions such as those can make or break a runner in a sport she described as primarily mental.

Runners can compete against upwards of 200 other athletes, battling the weather elements, distance, crowds and, worse, the fight against themselves.

But, the fight is for something more than individual gain, she said.

“It’s a team sport,” Lafferty said. “I mean, sure, it’s great to win as an individual, but it’s even better to have your team up there with you on the podium.”

To better ensure her team’s success, Lafferty and assistant coach Shiloh Kannady have been work-ing together to make a plan for their runners, she said.

Since July 15, the official start day of practice, KHS runners have been been given a variety of workouts - tempo runs, long distance mileage, speed work and recovery days - to better prepare them.

The girls run about 25 miles a week and the boys, whose races are longer, run 35 miles.

“Our workouts are about 80 percent mileage and the other 20 percent is speed work or tempos,” Lafferty said.

These are designed with two aspects in mind - a final top five standing and to allow the runners to “peak at the right time,” she explained.

A tricky aspect of any coaching position is making sure the athletes’ best performance is a qualifying event right at the end of the season.

“Last year we peaked a little early,” Lafferty said. “This year I’m hoping we can peak later.”

Part of Lafferty’s optimism for 2023 comes from a solid core of upperclassmen.

Through the leadership of her five seniors - Chesni Newkirk, Emmy Lunsford, Hannah Francis, Zaylynn Lopez and Peyton Walker - the younger Lady Jackets will have several experienced runners to model themselves after, she said.

The rest of the girls team includes Scout Snodgrass, Harper Evans, Lily Lunsford, Kinley Taylor, Terry McCully, Natalie Garrett, Rylie Long, Sophia Dudzinski, Taitym Walker and Maya Haney.

The boys cross country team includes Wyatt Long, Conner Askey, Brantley Johnson and Alezandro Cuellar.

At least five runners are needed to field a full team.

For the girls, Lafferty and Kannady will select seven to compete for the varsity by the time the regional meet rolls around.

Seven is the maximum a team can have in an OSSAA event.

Of the seven, the placing of the five best finishers for each team is used to accumulate a team score.

The goal for the team is to have the lowest score, thus making finishing with a lower number crucial to the team’s success.

If a tie occurs, then the last two runners of the seven varsity will be used to help break the tie.

This makes every member of the team valuable, because any finish can enhance the team’s overall standing, Lafferty said.

Narrowing Kingfisher’s roster down to seven will be difficult, Lafferty said, due to the “talented roster.”

Yet, before the regional meet, both boys and girls rosters will be able to compete at all eight meets.

Their competition grounds span from Elgin to home.

On Sept. 2, Kingfisher will host its annual meet at Briscoe Park with the boys 5,000 meter race beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the girls 3,200 meter race beginning at 9 a.m.

Lafferty encourages spectators to come watch the sport while her team competes locally.

“This sport is a lot harder than what people expect,” she said. “It doesn’t always get the appreciation it deserves.”